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Life Happens

cliff74wixy — Thu, 08 May 2008 23:03:04 +0000

As a red blooded American male in my late teens, in the late seventies, my biggest area of interest was young ladies. I felt inferior because it seemed I couldn’t even buy a date. I couldn’t even get any interest when I told women in bars that I was a broadcasting school graduate.

I went to school to try to get an FCC 1st class license, but found the course was very difficult, and I have always had a discipline problem. I dropped out of the course and put my aspirations on the back burner. But the dream always pops up, even today.

So working, living, dating, and just plain screwing around took up my time. At the ripe old age of 22, I ran into(acually she literally ran into me) the young lady who would become my wife of now 29 years. We were both working at the same place. It was the week of Thanksgiving, 1977 when we met. We first dated December 1, 1977, and we were engaged a little more than a month later. We married March 10, 1979. At this point, I forgot about any aspirations about fame and fortune I once had.

One wife three children, and all the other responsibilities took me away from the dream of mass communication. But there was always that want to inside of me.

Dreaming

cliff74wixy — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 22:10:50 +0000

Everybody, in some point of their life, has at least one dream. Most people as children, have many.

Dreams are a good vehicle to get away from reality. There are those who realize their dreams, but the dreams require hard work to turn into reality. Some dreams are reasonable, those that have you studying hard, working diligently and persevering to meet career goals you set up for yourself.

Other dreams are purely fantasy. You usually have them as a child, you know becoming a super hero, a fairy princess, a superstar. I had a dream for years to be on the radio.

When I was a senior in high school, I set what I thought was a reasonable goal. I wanted to be a sportscaster. I knew quite a bit about Major League baseball, pro football and other sports. I decided to get on the fast track to stardom, and I applied at the WIXY School of Broadcast Technique. I was on my way. On my way to what, I wasn’t sure of. I took the two month course which started July, 1974. I was one of the younger ones in the class. I was probably one of the most insecure ones there too.

Many people along the way wanted to steal my dream but I think the biggest robber was me. I let people talk me out of it. I let people say I didn’t have what it took to go into the business. I was also too proud to go to a small town like Prestonburg, Kentucky and work at a small station. I thought I deserved to work in a larger town. Life then began to happen.

A star is born

cliff74wixy — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 18:19:10 +0000

I never was all that talented growing up. When I was in the fifth grade I tried out for choir twice and didn’t make it either time. I didn’t possess too much atheliticism but I went out for football three years in high school. I was on the team all three years even though I didn’t play much. I did a favor for the athletic director and that’s how I got my letter.

One thing I did have that most others didn’t was a very well developed set of pipes. My speaking voice was(and is) louder than some people’s yelling voice. That got me some primo parts in church Christmas plays. It also got me the starring role in my junior class play-Life With Father. Being a big fella didn’t hurt either.

The part of Clarence Day also made people aware that the fat kid had a brain. And some talent. During the play, I had a monologue, yelling about politics. I left the stage and got a standing ovation! For one of the first times in my life, I actually had people respect me!

Maybe now I was on my way.

Why communicate?

cliff74wixy — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 17:48:14 +0000

I have wanted to be in some sort of communications for as long as I can remember. Some of the first songs I learned were radio jingles. I can also remember my younger brother riding his tricycle, singing the jingle for “K-Y-W in Cleveland, Ohio…”

In the third grade, we were given an assignment to make buildings for a city or country scene. I made a radio station. The teacher couldn’t figure out where that one went(I was convinced she didn’t like me anyhow.)

I remember listening to Martin and Howard in the mornings on KYW/1100 Cleveland, Ohio. They would have some bits on to add some comedy, and that was what I remembered, as I was getting ready for school. Others watched Captain Kangaroo, I listened to things like “Sponsor Place” and “Congo Kirk” as I was eating my breakfast.

Later on, as I was approaching my adolescent years, I would listen to radio as I was winding my day down. The early evening hours belonged to a disc jockey, named John Larsh, or as we knew him Big Jack,” yooouuurrr Leeeeaaaddddeeeeer!” At that time I wanted to be a disc jockey. I thought I would be raking in the dough and be famous.

By that time in my life I had already overcome one obstacle, a lazy speech pattern. but the biggest problem I have encountered in my life has been a major case of insecurity. Being from the other side of the tracks and having a weight problem will do that for you.

New Book Ideas

cliff74wixy — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 22:59:09 +0000

Hi, My name is Cliff Feightner. I have a blog over at blogger called WIXY’s Gone Bananas. That will continue to be my main blog. This on here is to put my thoughts together with the hopes of maybe using them to write a book.

I may repeat some of my posts from over there and my other blog, Seek Him First, which is what I call my “faith based blog.” I also don’t expect a lot of hits here, as I don’t plan at this point to publicize this blog.

I will also be writing about my friends from “blog world” and “real world.” Many of these friends are inspirational in this endeavor.

If you stop by here by chance, welcome. Visit my other two blogs and also check out my other friends from my side bar. They are a great bunch!